McNeil named Interim Planning and Zoning Director

CHEBOYGAN COUNTY- Cheboygan County Community Development Planner Scott McNeil was named as the county's interim Planning and Zoning Director Tuesday morning.

The position was vacated when the former director, Steve Schnell, turned in his resignation last month. McNeil will now be the official Zoning Administrator for the county until the Planning and Zoning Director position is filled.

"The salary rate is $62,000 per year," said Cheboygan County Administrator Jeff Lawson.

There are no other adjustments to the budget due to a change in the wage and salary of the employees in the county. The request was also not accompanied by a salary and wage resolution since it was a temporary appointment to the position until McNeil retires from the county in February.

The $62,000 is a reduction in the salary that had been paid to Schnell when he occupied that position. This is part of the reason there were no adjustments needed to the budget.

It is projected that when a new person is hired into this position, they will start out at a salary lower than what Schnell's salary was as well.

Commissioner Karen Johnson said with someone being appointed on the interim, there is not normally an increase of the pay to make the adjustment. There are also more people in the office who have to step up to the plate and help out with the extra workload. She was concerned they would be left out when it comes to being compensated for the extra work until someone else is hired.

The county is also currently looking for a Planner to fill the vacancy that will be created when McNeil retires in February. This will leave two vacancies at that time, if someone is not hired in.

There are some logistics things that need to happen in the office to allow the department to be reorganized in an effective manner for the county. Lawson said he has already spoken with the staff from the department and it is scheduled to start in December.

If someone is not hired into the position by the time McNeil retires, there will need to be someone else appointed into the position, most likely Lawson.

For now, the board voted unanimously to appoint McNeil as the interim director. The money that will be used for the salary for McNeil is money that was already budgeted, it is just being reallocated from Schnell to McNeil.

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